The Heist
by ViolateThisNobleWar
Summary: Rikki enlists Bella and Cleo's help for a plan of wild revenge against her ex-boyfriend -they're going to steal his precious speedboat. In amongst all the chaos and adrenaline, Rikki is forced to face up to the fact that her anger towards Zane stems from the fact that she's still in love with him. Possible one-shot, or may be continued. Set directly after the S3 finale.


**Hey guys! This is a possible one-shot/possible chapter story. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to continue it or not, so let me know if you want to see more!**

Rikki trudged along the boardwalk of Surfers' Paradise, her black high heels creating a musical rhythm against the sand-dusted concrete. The breeze picked up the edges of her black cocktail dress, the same one she'd been wearing since the graduation celebration earlier in the day. Irritated by the sound of her shoes, along with the way the backs were causing painful, swollen blisters on the skin of her heels, she stopped to yank them off. In a split moment of frustration, she nearly tossed them into the sea, but thought better of it. She sighed and continued walking, dodging broken glass with her now bear feet, carrying her shoes in one hand.

The day had gotten off to such a great start. Against all odds, in the face of all the nights she'd spent dipping around the moon pool with Bella instead of studying, despite every exam she was certain she'd flunked and every assignment she handed in half-completed and past it's due date, Rikki had graduated year twelve. The graduating class had celebrated at Rikki's Café, and she and Zane had actually managed to get along swimmingly, even sharing a few dances to the harmonies of Bella's band. She'd had the chance to catch up with Lewis, on the few occasions he came up for air and detached his tongue from the back of Cleo's throat, and while she'd never admit it, she had missed having the science geek around. It had almost seemed like there'd been hope for her and Zane to be friends, to salvage at least some of what they had, but then…

''He always has to ruin it.'' Rikki muttered to nobody. That seemed to be Zane's forte – he'd smooth things over almost enough to have Rikki back on speaking terms, then find some way to mess it all up. ''Idiot.''

Just as Rikki and her friends were preparing to leave, she'd noticed how much of a mess the place was, and how understaffed Zane appeared to be. She couldn't explain it, but she still felt some kind of obligation to help out where it was necessary. The months of hard work and commitment, the time when she'd felt truly passionate about the success of the café, couldn't be undone by one ruined relationship. And so she'd offered to hang back and help clean up, promising to meet her friends at Will's boatshed, when there'd headed for celebratory drinks and board games, later on. Cleo in particular had been sceptical about leaving Rikki alone with Zane, but while Rikki appreciated her best friend's fiercely protective nature, she was a big girl who could look after herself.

Things had been fine, with Rikki and Zane small talking the weather and their plans for summer as they cleared away glasses and wiped down tables. Zane had reiterated his offer to accompany Rikki to Mako Island, and Rikki couldn't help the way that irked at her. She'd tried to bite her tongue, but words had spilt out of her anyway, and soon she was accusingly reminding Zane of how little interest he'd shown in going to Mako with her, even when she desperately needed his help, when they were actually together.

What had followed was the usual flurries of apologies and excuses - ''I was stressed out with the café'' ''I was jealous of Will'' ''I never meant to hurt you'' – and the promises to be better. Rikki didn't bother to bring up the one, definitive reason she couldn't even consider giving Zane another chance again– Sophie – because she didn't think she should have too. Once you're unfaithful, that's it. Zane had laid his lips on another girl during the time he was committed to Rikki, and that was unforgivable. Rikki's fiery attitude meant she loved with her whole soul, and during the time when she was with Zane, she had loved him with an intense passion that almost scared her. But the flip side of that burning, passionate love was that the fallout could make her resent him with just as much fire. In the end, Rikki had stormed out, dramatically throwing back the tassels that hung over the entrance to make up for the fact that the door was still latched open and she couldn't slam it, and marched out onto the footpath, ignoring Zane's pleads for her to come back and talk to him. After a few paces, Zane had the common sense to give up.

There was a hot rage spreading from the pit of Rikki's stomach right through to the tips of her fingers, mingling with the ache of desire and longing. She was annoyed with Zane, sure, for not taking a hint, for not giving her space, for not being willing to even work on their friendship for a bit before he tried persuading her back into romance with him, but more than anything she was furious with herself. Furious because he betrayed her, treated her horribly, stabbed her in the back, and she didn't hate him. Not even close. In fact, she wanted nothing more than for Zane to come to Mako Island with her, to go swimming with her, hand in hand, while she steadied the speed of her tail to keep up with how fast he could kick in his scuba gear, the way Will always went swimming with Bella. She wanted nothing more than to cuddle up to him in the moon pool, feeling his breathe on her neck, watching the stars through the opening of the volcano. She wanted to forget the bad times, just like Zane had suggested they could. She wanted to go back to the time he fixed her dad's motorcycle and won a $10,000 reward for her when she needed it most and dived to the bottom of the ocean to get back her locket. What happened to them? What happened to him? And why, why, didn't she hate him for the way he'd become?

Rikki wasn't weak. She wasn't a pushover. She couldn't go back to Zane, because he didn't deserve it. She shouldn't even want to acknowledge him. She tried so hard to act like she didn't. But she couldn't help it. Rikki still loved him, and for that, she hated herself.

Rikki wiped the stray tear that had sprayed down the side of her cheek away with the back of her hand. Her face set in determination, and her stride quickened. She _did_ hate Zane Bennet, and she was going to prove it to herself, once and for all. What she needed was some form of crazy revenge, to dismiss the ''everything's fine'' front she'd been putting up for her friends, and admit that she was livid. She needed to make herself believe she was livid, that she didn't want anything to do with Zane ever again. She needed something to clearly send that message to him, as well.

She had just the thing in mind. Only, she was going to need a little bit of help.

* * *

''I think it was…'' Cleo began to hum aloud as she moved the Scarlett playing piece into the living room. ''Mustard, in the living room, with the knife.''

Bella, Will and Lewis scanned their hand of Cluedo cards, and while Bella shook her head to dismiss the theory, both of the boys slipped Cleo a card to disprove it. Cleo grinned to herself as she began checking items of her list, excited at how narrow her options were becoming and thinking for once she might actually win a board game.

The door to Will's boatshed swung open with such force that it rattled the wall and startled Cleo, making her draw a line through her list.

''Sorry.'' Rikki apologised curtly, looking as though she was anything but.

''All good.'' Will replied sceptically, taking in Rikki's hard set eyes and body language. ''Everything… okay?''

''Come, sit, I'll get you a beer.'' Bella patted the spot on the floor beside her and drained the rest of her own beer. ''Tell us all about what Zane did.''

''I'll tell you on the way.'' Rikki responded.

''On the way to where?'' Bella looked muddled.

''Just come with me and you'll find out.'' Rikki smirked. She nodded in Cleo's direction and added ''you too.''

''What's this about?'' Cleo stood with the glass of wine she'd been nursing. She took another sip and offered it to Rikki, who downed the whole thing in one go. Cleo simply put the empty glass down and no one choose to comment.

''We're going to have a little bit of graduation night fun.'' Rikki said, with that telltale look in her eyes that warned the girls she was up to something. ''Sorry boys, you have to stay here, it's a girls' night thing.''

''Come on!" Rikki whined to the hesitant looks on her friends faces. ''It'll be fun, I promise.''

''Go on, go have fun.'' Lewis waved at the girls. ''Just, you know, don't die.''

''Lewis, please, have a little faith.'' Rikki winked at her best friend's boyfriend, before ushering Cleo and Bella out the door.

''I expect them home by midnight.'' Will called to Rikki in a joking manner, to which Rikki responded ''sure thing, dad.''

Rikki began her fast-pasted stride along the boardwalk once again, this time an air of cheekiness carrying up her features. She was moving so quickly that Cleo and Bella had to jog to keep up.

''Where are we going?'' Cleo was already sounding slightly out of breathe.

''Cleo, do you remember the day we first met?'' Rikki ignored Cleo's question. ''The day we also became mermaids?''

Cleo's expression contorted to one of thinking. After a moment, she shook her head.

''To be honest, no, not really. Of course I remember becoming mermaids, but I don't really remember the part of the day where we first met. It feels like you and I have been best friends forever.''

''It does, doesn't it?'' Rikki was still grinning in that ''I'm-up-to-no-good'' way. ''But I do remember that day. Zane's boat wasn't working, remember? Somebody… and I'm not sure I recall who… stole a pipe from his engine?'' She winked at Cleo during the last bit, and Cleo grinned back at her, for they both remembered very well it was Rikki who'd stolen the piece of Zane's engine.

''Right, and he sent me adrift in his boat, as a prank.'' Cleo recalled as the story came back to her. ''But then you saved me. You jumped on to his boat and fixed the engine. And then we picked up Emma and drove out to Mako Island.''

''And do you remember what I said when you asked me why I'd steal part of his engine?'' Rikki continued to prompt.

There was another pause, before Cleo's face lit up.

''You said something along the lines of, 'Zane Bennet's a pig, and anything I can do to get under his skin can't be a bad thing.'''

''Yeah.'' Rikki giggled to herself, like the memory was bringing her great delight. ''Geez, what happened to that girl? Past Rikki was clearly much smarter than present Rikki.''

''Hey…'' Bella reached out to put a comforting hand on Rikki's shoulder. ''Don't beat yourself up over falling for Zane. Nothing that happened was your fault.''

''Oh I know.'' Rikki seemed unfazed as she shook Bella's hand off of her. ''I'm just saying, three-years-ago me was clearly making better life decisions than I am now, which is why we're going to be taking her advice and stealing his boat again.''

Cleo and Bella stopped dead in their tracks, causing the sand on the path to give out a screeching noise underneath their converse shoes.

''We're _what_?'' Bella cried.

''Stealing his boat.'' Rikki repeated, as casually as if she'd just said ''we're going to get coffee.'' Bella and Cleo's eyes had inflated, and their mouths had fallen agape.

''Oh come on.'' Rikki folded her arms across her chest. ''Do you think he somehow doesn't deserve it? Let's look at all he's done, shall we?''

As she listed thing, Rikki ticked them off on her fingers.

''He treated me like I was dirt under his feet, he was never there when I needed him, he cheated on me, he threatened to out us as mermaids, and now he's destroyed Mako Island. I mean, come on girls, he blew up the god damn moon pool! He _knew_ how much that place meant to us and he was selfish enough to pull it apart anyway. And even after all of this, I still haven't gotten any kind of wild, stupid, petty revenge, which is completely unlike me. So, are you in? Or am I pulling off this heist on my own?''

Cleo and Bella shared a look, one that suggested they were trying to decide what to do without having to speak.

Cleo looked back at her friend. In the moonlight, she could just see the faint red glisten of Rikki's nose, and indication that she'd been crying. Cleo knew Rikki so well, and she was well aware this was all part of her ''tough girl'' act. Rikki had been hurt, badly, and sooner or later her walls would finally come down and she would need proper comforting, proper support, not assistance in theft of her ex-boyfriend's property.

But right now, Rikki wanted to go through with a revenge scheme that would at least temporarily make her feel better. Maybe it would be more mature to walk away, to tell Rikki that Zane isn't worth it, but then again, that isn't really what best friends are for, is it? A friend might try and talk you out of it, but a best friend has your back, unconditionally. Cleo found herself thinking back to the time Charlotte and her mother had come over for dinner. At that time, Charlotte had done nothing wrong besides flirt with Lewis, which was certainly no crime, but Rikki and Emma had helped Cleo mess with her anyway, because that's just want best friends do.

''Of course, we're in.'' Cleo replied boldly, taking Bella's hand and pulling her forward so she couldn't back out. ''That's what friends are for.''

Rikki beamed.

''Well then, come with me. I know where he hides his keys.''

* * *

Zane had well and truly locked up Rikki's Café for the evening when the girls' arrived. The inside of the store was dark, and through the cracks of the pulled shut blinds, Rikki could see that all the tables and chairs had been stacked. Glass doors were closed over the tassels that hung in the entrance, locked and bolted. Zane had most likely gone home to sulk.

Rikki had left her keys to the main entrance behind on the desk when she'd broken up with Zane, a clear message that the end of their relationship signified the end of any involvement she had in the café as well. She hadn't though to give back the other key she had, the one that opened the back door leading directly into the office, and by the time she'd realised she still had it, she was deeply engrossed in avoiding Zane. Now, she was grateful she'd never returned it.

She led the girls around the back of the café. Cleo and Bella had by now loosened up, most likely aided by the few drinks they'd had at Will's before Rikki had shown up. All three were giggling like fourth graders about to sneak into their mother's wardrobe and try on her clothes.

Rikki produced a single gold key from her pocket, and slipped it into the lock of the back door. It clicked with ease and the door swung open.

''Stay here, I'll be in and out.'' Rikki told her friends, and true to her word, she'd reappeared within seconds, proudly holding the keys to Zane's boat. ''Top draw of his desk. Nate once tried to steal the Zodiac while drunk and so Zane moved the keys from his house to the office because he thought they'd be safer here.'' She chuckled as she locked the café back up and shook her head. ''Silly boy.''

* * *

Rikki, Cleo and Bella sprinted along the beach, listening to the cackling of the waves, with Rikki clutching the Zodiac keys like they were her most prized possession. At one point, Cleo, slightly tipsy from her three glasses of wine (two and a half, technically, considering Rikki drank half of her last one), tripped and fell, making the three girls laugh hysterically as she came up with sand caking her hair. Rikki felt alive as adrenaline coursed through every vein in her body, and like she'd never been closer to the two girls who were going to help her steal her ex-boyfriend's boat.

Rikki almost thought of pretending she needed to think about where Zane lived, because she was semi-embarrassed about her ability to find his house in her sleep. But then again, it was no secret, certainly not from Cleo or Bella, that she had been with Zane for two years. Besides, she was too excited to play any games. She just wanted to get there. And so, with her best friend's in tow, Rikki had them out the front of Zane's beachside mansion in minutes.

The boat was parked and tied up in its usual place – beside the jetty, bobbing in the marina. Bella set about untying the rope, as Rikki climbed in to the driver's seat. Placing the key into the ignition, she wasn't sure she'd ever heard a more beautiful sound then that of the engine starting and the water giving out beneath them. Bella and Cleo found their seats and it felt just like the first time they'd done this with Emma, back when Cleo and Emma were mere strangers to Rikki, back before they grew tails whenever they came in contact with water, back before she'd made the mistake of falling in love with Zane. It felt like only yesterday and a million years ago at the same time.

''To Mako Island!'' Rikki declared, making no effort to be quiet or discreet. Bella and Cleo hollered in agreement as Rikki pulled out of the marina and headed out to sea, revving out the engine and taking the boat as fast as it would travel.

''Maybe you should slow down a touch.'' Bella looked over her shoulder from where she was sitting at the head of the boat. ''You're making really big waves. We don't want to get splashed.''

''Why not?'' Rikki responded casually. ''In fact, let's make it a game. Whoever can get all the way to Mako Island without growing a tail wins.''

Rikki began swerving the boat to the left, causing water to rise on the right hand side, the side both Bella and Cleo were sitting on. Both girls squealed and dived for the other side of the boat. At first they looked startled, but after a moment they were laughing. Rikki continued to spin the boat in a very strategic way, sending water away from her but towards her two friends, who screamed and giggled and hoped from seat to seat trying to avoid the waves.

The girls were high off of adrenaline and caught in the moment, so much so that not one of them stopped to consider how dangerous what they were doing was – running around a fast moving speedboat and jumping on the seats instead of sitting and holding on.

An unexpected wave rocked the boat. It was only slightly, but it was enough for Bella, who was standing on the front seat, to topple out of balance and fall overboard, directly into the path of the Zodiac.

Rikki cried out and gripped the steering wheel as hard as she could. Bella dived for the bottom of the ocean, hoping the boat would pass overhead without harming her. Rikki aggressively yanked the wheel to the left, causing the boat to spin out of control, but effectively avoid hitting Bella. Cleo tumbled into Rikki's lap as the boat swerved ashore to Mako Island, before it crashed into a rock, knocking both girls out and onto the damp sand.

''Shit!'' Bella screamed, dragging herself to the beach. The shallow water lapped around the glistening scales of her tail.

''Oh god, this is bad!" Cleo gripped fistfuls of her hair as she stumbled to her feet and looked at the Zodiac, which had completely collapsed in on itself.

''Would you two relax?'' Rikki sighed, dusting sand from her jeans. ''It wouldn't have been much of a revenge plan if we'd just taken his boat for a joy ride and returned it unharmed, now would it?''

Bella's eyes turned to golf balls.

''Wait, you _planned_ this?''

''Of course not.'' Rikki scoffed, then, grinning, she added ''sometimes you just get lucky.''

''Rikki, we destroyed Zane's boat.'' Cleo spoke slowly, as if Rikki somehow didn't understand what had just happened. ''We could be sued.''

''We're not going to get sued.'' Rikki strolled towards the beach, letting the water lap around her ankles. After the standard ten seconds, her bound together with her tail and she collapsed into the sea. ''And if we do, I'll be the one he sues. So don't worry about it. Come on, let's go to the moon pool.''

Rikki ducked under water, and left a trail of bubbles and ripples in her wake as she sped off towards the other side of the island. Cleo gave one final, remorseful glance at the destroyed boat, before she dived into the water as well, and she and Bella took off after Rikki.

By the time the two girls popped their heads up from the crystal blue water, Rikki was already strolling floating, with her elbows propped up on the edge of the pool. Cleo and Bella came to her either side. Rikki was smiling contently.

''I have to admit, tonight was really fun.'' Bella confessed.

''Well, don't thank me.'' Rikki grinned back at her.

Bella and Cleo shared a look over the top of Rikki's head, and could tell immediately that they were thinking the same thing. Cleo gave an encouraging nod to Bella, who took a deep breathe.

''I don't want to go all therapist on you.'' Bella began. Rikki rolled her eyes, as was to be expected, but she continued anyway. ''But, as fun as tonight was, I think it proves you're still really hurting over Zane. I know you like to play the tough girl, but it's okay to not be okay. So, all jokes and crazy revenge schemes aside, how are you doing?''

Rikki opened her mouth to begin her typical ''Zane Bennet's an asshole and I'm better off without him'' speeches, but it completely backfired when instead she began to cry.

Cleo and Bella came in closer, feeling helpless as Rikki sobbed. In all years Cleo had known Rikki, she'd never seen her properly cry, and it broke her heart into a million fragments. There was nothing the girls could do but put their arms around Rikki and hold her close, as her tears bleed into the salt water beneath them.

* * *

When Rikki entered Rikki's Café the following morning, she was like a puppy who'd just been caught digging in the back garden. Her face was flushed, and her eyes still bore red rings from her hours of sobbing the night before. She walked with her head down, guilt ridden.

Rikki hadn't expected to feel as bad as she did over what she and her friends' had gotten up to the previous night, but once all the adrenaline had worn off, she'd burnt with shame and regret. She knew it wouldn't take long for Zane to work out who stole his boat – in fact, it was likely he already knew – and so she'd decided to simply rip the band aid off and face up to the consequences.

When Zane looked up from the counter and met Rikki's eye, she knew immediately she was right in her assumption – Zane knew exactly who was responsible for what happened to the Zodiac.

She approached the counter, feeling like a scared little kid about to tell her parents she failed a maths test. In the smallest voice that boisterous, outspoken Rikki Chadwick has ever used, she asked ''can I speak to you?''

Zane met her gaze for a few moments, looking more hurt and disappointed than anything else. Then he sighed, and called over his shoulder to Sophie, asking her keep an eye on things. He gestured with his head towards the office, and Rikki trailed behind him.

Once they were inside, things were silent for about ten seconds, before Rikki produced the key to the Zodiac from her jacket pocket. She held it out to him without meeting his gaze, and he accepted it wordlessly.

''So, where is it?'' He asked.

''Mako Island.'' Rikki whispered.

Zane raised an eyebrow.

''Is it functioning, or….?''

Rikki gave a small shake of her head.

''We crashed it. It's totalled pretty bad.''

''Nice.'' Zane scoffed sarcastically. ''So this was, who exactly? You and your mermaid club? Was it Will's idea?''

''It was my idea.'' Rikki shook her head. ''And the boys didn't even know about it. It was just me, Cleo and Bella.''

Rikki took a deep breathe, then exhaled heavily.

''But if you're going to press charges, please leave Bella and Cleo out of it. It was my idea, and I was the one who stole the keys and the one who crashed the boat. The girls were just being good friends. If you want me to cover the cost of the damages I will. I… I don't know how, but I will. Just please leave my friends alone. They didn't do anything wrong.''

Zane considered this for a moment.

''I don't want to press charges, or have you pay for the damages.'' Zane sighed. ''I just want to know why.''

Rikki felt the tears fill her baby blue eyes again, and she mentally cursed herself out. She was _not_ going to cry. Not in front of him.

But the lodge in her throat worked against her, and seconds later, tears were spilling all over the place.

''You want to know?'' Her lip quivered. ''You really want to know why? I'm in love with you, Zane Bennet. I hate you so much, you're possibly the biggest asshole I've ever had the displeasure of knowing, and I'm in love with you. And that's god damn stupid and I hate it. So I stole your dumb boat to try and convince myself I'm not in love with you. But I am, I'm in love with the boy that treated me like shit and kissed another girl because I'm an idiot who learns nothing, apparently.''

Rikki was huffing, her cheeks flushing with anger and emotion. Zane's jaw unhinged slightly.

''Rikki…'' He began.

''Don't.'' Rikki furiously wiped her tears away and held up a hand to stop him. ''Just don't. Please.''

''Fine.'' Zane took a step forward. ''I won't say anything except this – I'm in love with you too. In spite of how greatly I messed things up, I'm in love with you. I said and did things I will never be able to take back, and I'm done with excuses because there is no excuse for the way I behaved. But hear me when I say this – I'm in love with you. And that hasn't changed. Not even a little bit.''

Rikki should have shaken him off there and then. In fact, none of this should have happened – she should have stormed in, thrown the key at his head and told him to choke on it.

Rikki could see him moving in. She should tell him to stop, to get off of her.

Instead, she let her eyes flutter clothes as his mouth collided with hers.

 **What do you think? Leave it as a one-shot or continue? I greatly greatly greatly appreciate feedback of all kinds so please let me know what you think one way or another!**


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